A visit from Niki, Fall Break, Caleb laughs!

Wow... has it really been that long since my last blog? Time is flying! Even though it doesn't always feel like it.
Luke has a new name for Caleb: Mr. Sweet Toes. Here's Mr. Sweet Toes napping in the swing. I think this was when he was 6 wks old... He will be eight wks on Saturday. He is not too crazy a/b the swing anymore. He seems to sleep best in his bed, now.



I don't know a better caption for this than "this makes Daddy's heart go bonk bonk bonk" (can you tell that we say that a lot in our house? :) )

Roll Tide! (the Kentucky game)


Below is a picture that I really need to post, for my own sake, really. Last week was rough with this precious child. I don't think it's appropriate to go into too much detail on a blog... I am praying that he respects his Mommy. I am shedding tears over this one... Sometimes I feel like a total failure, and wonder if God gave me Jon David to remind me that I can't do it w/out Him... I am just asking God to give him the desire to be a good boy. And this week, I feel it! God does hear, and answers. Jon David has been praying for himself, too. And I told him that I KNOW that God will help him, because that is just the kind of prayer He wants to answer.



He and Jon David both have been taking care of their "Teds" (teddy bears). They have put diapers on them, and they like to put them in Caleb's toys (bouncy seat, car seat, and the other sort of hang down toy that we have). I even helped them put sweaters on them when we went outside. Luke has especially enjoyed this, I think.

Caleb has been doing really well. He has his occasional rough day, and then he has a great one!
Tomorrow marks the beginning of fall break for the older two boys. Here is my action plan:

A.M.: Breakfast, dressed, feed baby. After one of the feedings, during Caleb's happy time: go out in front yard and let boys ride bikes, scooters, etc...
Lunch
P.M.: Between baby naps, feedings, etc... Try to have at least one planned "fun" snack for each day. Monday: popcorn snack and Adventures in Odyssee movie that the boys received from friend recently (not watched yet).
Tuesday: hot chocolate w/marshmellows

Fastforward... Today is actually Thursday. The first half of fall break has gone well, considering... Don and I have had a bad case of colds. The boys had them first, and then it was our turn. I don't know if we got a worse case than the boys, or if it just took a harder toll on us b/c of lack of sleep, etc... Anyway, it's been very annoying. I think we're finally on the mend, now. Thanks, friend, for dinner last night! You know who you are. :) I think one of my love languages is food.
Jon David and Luke have done remarkably well during fall break. I think they have missed each other being in school and soccer and all. I remember LOVING vacations when all we did was stay home. I know that probably sounds super boring. Sometimes, I'm a home body. Even though too much time at home does drive me nuts eventually. ;) I have great memories of reading Asterix books over and over again, building boats, houses out of boxes, telling Playmobil stories, writing at my desk, playing secretary, etc...
It's been really neat watching the boys play house w/their teddy bears, play school, put together puzzles, make a club house in the shed, ride their bikes and tell starwars stories, play football, and even read books by themselves.

I am eating it up. Like I said, today is Thursday, and we do plan to leave the house today. I think we'll try to go to the gym so that they can run around.
Below was our set up for Monday and Tuesday, when it was not too nasty to go outside. I watched them from the front porch ride their bikes. When Caleb went down for a nap, they set up their Teds to watch them.
Yea, for you Southern people, I don't think it's supposed to get higher than 50 degrees today...

Yesterday, I felt probably the worst (cold wise). It was late, and I couldn't get Caleb to go to sleep... Don was still not feeling 100% either... 10:00 P.M.... And then Caleb starts to smile at me (he smiled for the first time a couple of wks ago). But this time, he laughed too! It was adorable! Don actually got the first laugh out of him a few days ago. But his giggles last night made this weary Mommy's hear soar. It sort of made the day seem better, all in a matter of seconds. :)

Thanks so much, Don for grabbing the camera!!!!!!! :)

One of our special new fall break snacks was Nutella. It was the boys' first time to taste it. Yummy!
Last wk, my friend Niki came to visit me!!! We have not seen each other since we both lived in Castle Rock in January. It was so good to see her. I miss her.


I hope to make pumpkin cookies before the break ends... We'll see if that happens!
Until the next blog...